Richard B the EMT

Didn't "M*A*S*H" have that trick done to Frank Burns a few times, turning his urine blue?

In my guesstimation, probably.

Re MAST: Check out the name Brian Watkins. Took over 10 years for FDNY EMS to pull MAST from our ambulances, although they, I think, remain in State of NY protocols. Mr Watkins was stabbed in the chest during a robbery. Under then existing NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation EMS protocols, he was placed in a MAST, and the 3 sections were inflated by the responding crews. So called "Autotransfusion" did happen, but he bled out from the chest wound, of the blood so autotransfused. Protocols were changed that MAST would not be used for thorasic puncture wounds. Sometime after 1996, the EMS, now under control of the FDNY, removed the MAST from all our ambulances.

Someone correctly pointed out that I work(ed) in NYC, the city that is a law unto itself. For the uninitiated, on a typical day, no call is more than 15 minutes away from an Emergency Room (except my own community, following the closure of the Peninsula Hospital Center). Specialty Centers, such as Trauma and/or Burn Centers, can be up to 45 minutes away, WITH lights and siren, and no traffic. (for further definitions as to NYC being a law unto itself, PM me)

There may be NO advantage, except hope. I was taught, in 1974, CPR was only 30% effective, but not doing CPR was 100% fatal. As for leaving the BVM on and not doing CPR until getting to the ER? That's just not what I trained for, wouldn't accept from a partner, and wouldn't want such person's actions in my department. That type laziness gives a black eye to all EMTs and Paramedics, in my view.

"As you travel on through life, and try to reach your goal, Keep your eye opon the donut, and not opon the hole." (Anonymous) Are you referring to an actual donut hole, or the bakery item of a "donut hole", known to Dunkin' Donuts aficionados as "Munchkins"?

Some of my nastier bagpiper friends say "Yer sister's lipstick!" Traditionally, they wear nothing under the kilt, but I understand for the more squemish, there are underwear sets that are matching to the kilts.

No more than broken cookies, I presume?

But NOBODY ever dies in my ambulance! They die in the ER.

I have to wonder, because of me having a member's discount through NAEMT for the 5-11 Tactical, if they offered that item under the discount? Wouldn't buy, myself, just thinking out loud.

I've been on the wrong end of a handgun 3 times, but none of them were on the job. I'm a chatterbox talker, normally, but with the gun in my face, I turn into "silent Sam". FYI, that first time, in 1974, was just after I started volunteering, and had the 0000-0600 shift. I had just come in, the previous crew left, leaving me with a stranger in the office. The gunman turned out to be a cop working a plain-clothes detail, and he "shot" me with a starter's pistol. I fainted! When I regained conciousness, I heard the bastard say, "Oh, SHIT, I used the wrong gun!" The crew I had just relieved knew he was a cop, but didn't own up until after I stopped shaking.When they told me, and seeing him outside the office, I used my entire "blue language" vocabulary in a shriek to the skies, on one breath. Second time was a too playful co-worker, on an IFC private ambulance service, with a starter's pistol. By the time other employees caught up with me, I was already a half mile away, and still at a dead run. The third time was a robbery in the stairwell of "Lady J's" apartment building. Both of us robbed, by 2 gunnmen with handguns with apatures looking only slightly smaller than the entrance to the Queens Midtown Tunnel's north tube. I still have bad reactions to those types of enclosed staircases, and the incident was over 20 years ago.

My VAC used to use jumpsuits. Due to the color being green, we were a favorite unit at the St. Patricks Day Parades. Then, I got this e-mailed ad... http://www.511tactical.com/All-Products/Shorts/Tactical-Shorts/Tactical-Duty-Kilt.html?utm_source=eml_tdk2013_1&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tdk2013 Not for me!

My Paramedics usually work the code, dump half of the drug box into the patient, call OLMC for permission to terminate, and usually get the order to dump in the other half in before permission to terminate is given. On the other hand, sometimes we get the order to transport with CPR in progress. However, I only recall a few ROSC over my career. None were my assignment.

This was sent, a bit late, for April Fools day, by the 5-11 Tactical company. They sent it last year, also. Let me knpow what youze guyz think. http://www.511tactical.com/All-Products/Shorts/Tactical-Shorts/Tactical-Duty-Kilt.html?utm_source=eml_tdk2013_1&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=tdk2013

Through that "Spidey Sense" developed through the training, I'm not the only one who has made a life saving call.

Troll-la-laa?

First off, "What's a 'Yout?'" If young enough that you're mentioning missing a school semester (college semester?), or even if a bit older (I'm days away from being 59, and have been in EMS for 38 years), I would suggest listing all activities required of you for your EMS services, and if so involved, with your Fire Department services, then presenting the list to your orthopedic doctors, department doctors, and your family doctors, make sure they all know that all of them are being asked the same questions of, "Will I be able to recover from my injuries and/or illnesses sufficiently to return to work, without either endangering myself or others who I'd be assigned to work with? What level of the normal tasks of the job would I be able to do, or should I try and find a less strenuous line of employment, either within or outside of the profession?" If you feel it might help, have them all discuss your case. One way or another, they will never advise you wrong, even if they disagree with each other, or you, as to an outcome. Each person, and their case, is a separate thing, and I wish you luck.

At first, I had to go back and check if this was an April Fools Day joke, but find it started March 20th, so... I have never, in over 38 years of EMS involvement, heard of Righty or Lefty friendly pants. The "Battle Dress Uniform" pants, in name demilitarized to being called "Cargo" or EMT/Paramedic Pants, seem to look bilaterally the same. We've had discussions on what to carry on calls, especially on one's person. If you don't want it in your pockets, carry it in your "First In/Jump Kit" bag, or figure out how to set up a "Batman's Utility Belt" that both works for you, and is acceptable by your supervisors/employers. No matter which you do, expect redicule from someone for both what you carry, and what you don't carry, as this is kind of the nature of the EMS employee "Beast".

Concept of "Spin"? Are we talking those classes with the stationary bicycles, or dealing with turning bad press into good, or at least not as harmful press?

Kate, are we talking "Bride-zilla", "Groom-zilla", or flat out April Fools Day shinanigans?

If he's still here, tell him "Semper Fi" from a civilian son of a WW2 US Army T4 Sargent, and a WW2 US Army WAC PFC, 2 kids from Brooklyn, who met and got married in the Army at Fort Knox, KY. My brother is an American History Professor at UND.

Watch her body contours as she spins. She's got her right leg off the ground, and her thumbs are also visible in apparently normal position. Following my own suggestion, I revise my statement to say she's going clockwise.

Hey, ClutzyEMT, I have family in Grand Forks ND. Where are you? Also, your "When in pain..." quote is similar to what I believe is an old US Navy line of "When in trouble-or in doubt-run in circles-scream and shout". Are you former US Navy or US Marine Corps?

Just throwing into the mix that a past partner on the FDNY EMS ambulance was from Haiti, and was, in Haiti, the equivelant of an American Physician's Assistant. He stayed at NY State EMT-B level, and not advance to Paramedic, by choice.

I think it's counterclockwise.